Motorist sentenced after causing death of motorcylist

A motorist caused a fatal collision when she emerged from between a line of vehicles and into the path of an oncoming motorcycle, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Katie Wright had set off to visit her mother in Boston but got caught up in heavy traffic and decided to abandon the trip.

Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said that Wright turned off the road onto a garage site and called her sister on a loud speaker phone before doing a U-turn and emerging between the line of waiting traffic to go back in the opposite direction.

Although she was moving forward very slowly and looked both left and right she drove into the oncoming Yamaha motorcycle killing the rider David Cook.

Fifty-four-year old Mr Cook, who was on his way home to Stickney after finishing work was estimated by a crash investigator to have been driving his machine at 70mph in a 40 mph limit, said Mr Stanford.

The prosecutor said: “Mr Cook was an experienced motorcyclist. He was careful to only ride in the Summer months when the weather was good. His loss has deeply affected his family.”

Mr Stanford said one of the waiting drivers unsuccessfully tried to warn Wright of the oncoming motorcycle.

“Mr Cook braked very heavily but was unable to avoid a collision. The bike struck the rear nearside of the defendant’s vehicle.

“There were no defects with either vehicle. There were no defects to the road. It was human error with tragic consequences.”

Mr Cook’s widow Linda, who has since been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, told the court that the family has been left devastated by what happened.

“The loss of David when he was fit and healthy and in the prime of life is indescribable. I was numb when the police told me. I miss him so much. We have all been devastated.”

Katie Wright, 34, of Spilsby Meadows, Spilsby, admitted causing the death of Mr Cook by driving carelessly on Main Street, Langrick, on June 17, 2015.

Wright was given an 18 month community order with a 10 week night time curfew. She was also banned from driving for 15 months.

The court was told that sentencing guidelines recommended a community order for the offence.

“There is general consensus that the defendant edged slowly out. All witnesses agree she pulled out very slowly. Witnesses thought that Mr Cook was travelling within the speed limit but the expert investigator concluded he was travelling at 70mph.

“All these factors contributed to the tragedy that happened.

“This in my judgement is very much at the lower end of careless driving.

“It is quite clear to me that the loss is massive. No words from me or anyone in this court can put to rights what occurred

“There nothing that I can do to ease the pain and burden suffered by those involved one way or another in this tragedy.”

Emma Hayfield, defending, said that Wright offered her sincere apologies and accepted responsibility for causing the death of Mr Cook.

She said that her client, who is expecting a child later this year, has been diagnosed as suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of the incident.

“She is of previous good character and she has a clean driving licence.”

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